Rom 2:17-23 | KingComments | STEP | . Now Paul addresses the Jews. He makes it clear to them that they also need God’s gospel. He first sums up a number of things in which the Jews boasted. They boasted that they were in connection with God. They were confident they could be guides, lights, correctors and teachers because they thought they knew God’s will through the law. They imagined others were inferior: blind, in darkness, foolish and immature . They felt superior and elevated above other people. . And God had revealed His will to them in the law. What they didn’t realize was that first of all they had to obey it. Christians also can boast like this about knowing the Bible. They tell others how to behave, but they have never seen themselves in the light of the Bible. They only know it for others. They may condemn stealing if someone else does it, but if they do it themselves, they call it taking something to which they have a right. Similarly, they say it’s wrong to commit adultery, but they forget the Lord Jesus said that “everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” ( ). They know an idol is an abomination, but they do not mind using their time, strength, property, intelligence, etc. for themselves instead of for God. So, if someone is boasting of knowing the will of God, but is not obeying it in his life, he then dishonors God. . Isn’t it true that God’s Name is blasphemed because people go to some religious meeting on Sunday, but during the rest of the week they try to enrich themselves as much as possible at the expense of others? . Paul then mentions circumcision. You can read about its establishment in Genesis 17. In the Old Testament, circumcision was the external sign that someone belonged to God’s people, Israel. So you might expect a circumcised person to respect God’s will, but if someone didn’t obey God, his circumcision would mean nothing. Then his circumcision “has become uncircumcision”. The external sign of circumcision was only valid if the desire in the heart was to behave like a member of God’s people. This desire found its expression in doing God’s will. . This even meant that an uncircumcised person, so someone who didn’t belong to Israel, but who respected the rights of the law, was owned by God as a member of His people. The result of this was eventual judgment on those who were only circumcised outwardly and not with the heart. . The conclusion of this is seen in the last two verses. It deals with circumcision of the heart that leads us to the real meaning of circumcision. In Colossians 2 we read that the believer is circumcised in Christ’s circumcision ( ). The context shows this refers to Christ’s death on the cross when He died under God’s judgment for sin ( ). Someone who believes this with his heart is ‘circumcised of the heart’. He is a real Jew which means one who praises God. Belonging to God’s people only externally attracts human honor. Man likes the visible side of religion because it makes him more important, but God looks at the heart. The external has only value for Him if it is a sincere representation of the attitude of the heart. God praises those in whom He finds “truth in the innermost being” ( ). This is what counts with God. Now read Romans 2:17-29 again. Reflection: Ask yourself on which points you are still sensitive to human honor.

‏ Romans 2:17-23

The Jews and the Law

Rom 2:17-20. Now Paul addresses the Jews. He makes it clear to them that they also need God’s gospel. He first sums up a number of things in which the Jews boasted. They boasted that they were in connection with God. They were confident they could be guides, lights, correctors and teachers because they thought they knew God’s will through the law. They imagined others were inferior: blind, in darkness, foolish and immature. They felt superior and elevated above other people.

Rom 2:21-23. And God had revealed His will to them in the law. What they didn’t realize was that first of all they had to obey it. Christians also can boast like this about knowing the Bible. They tell others how to behave, but they have never seen themselves in the light of the Bible. They only know it for others. They may condemn stealing if someone else does it, but if they do it themselves, they call it taking something to which they have a right. Similarly, they say it’s wrong to commit adultery, but they forget the Lord Jesus said that “everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:27-28).

They know an idol is an abomination, but they do not mind using their time, strength, property, intelligence, etc. for themselves instead of for God. So, if someone is boasting of knowing the will of God, but is not obeying it in his life, he then dishonors God.

Rom 2:24. Isn’t it true that God’s Name is blasphemed because people go to some religious meeting on Sunday, but during the rest of the week they try to enrich themselves as much as possible at the expense of others?

Rom 2:25. Paul then mentions circumcision. You can read about its establishment in Genesis 17. In the Old Testament, circumcision was the external sign that someone belonged to God’s people, Israel. So you might expect a circumcised person to respect God’s will, but if someone didn’t obey God, his circumcision would mean nothing. Then his circumcision “has become uncircumcision”. The external sign of circumcision was only valid if the desire in the heart was to behave like a member of God’s people. This desire found its expression in doing God’s will.

Rom 2:27-28. This even meant that an uncircumcised person, so someone who didn’t belong to Israel, but who respected the rights of the law, was owned by God as a member of His people. The result of this was eventual judgment on those who were only circumcised outwardly and not with the heart.

Rom 2:28-29. The conclusion of this is seen in the last two verses. It deals with circumcision of the heart that leads us to the real meaning of circumcision. In Colossians 2 we read that the believer is circumcised in Christ’s circumcision (Col 2:11). The context shows this refers to Christ’s death on the cross when He died under God’s judgment for sin (Col 2:10-12). Someone who believes this with his heart is ‘circumcised of the heart’. He is a real Jew which means one who praises God.

Belonging to God’s people only externally attracts human honor. Man likes the visible side of religion because it makes him more important, but God looks at the heart. The external has only value for Him if it is a sincere representation of the attitude of the heart. God praises those in whom He finds “truth in the innermost being” (Psa 51:6). This is what counts with God.

Now read Romans 2:17-29 again.

Reflection: Ask yourself on which points you are still sensitive to human honor.